HC Druid Block Question

[wangboBW]

HC Druid Block Question

Hey, I have been looking into playing a druid in hc. However, EVERYONE I know keeps recommending to me a vita wind druid... What is the advantage of that besides for 1K more life? Isn't block always more important in hardcore? I am trying to decide between SS and Spirit...

I have played many wind druids before. But I never thought about going vita because all my HC chars have been block based. Could anyone provide inputs or suggestions? The answers I got from the druid forums were not very satisfactory.

 

[PhatTrumpet]

The problem is Druids have awful cast and block speeds, so you basically have to decide which is more important: relatively slow max block with relatively slow cast rate, or no block with decent cast rate.

When I made my last one I had a nifty little 2/18 crafted ammy, so I decided to go for 163%FCR and 99%FHR with no block. He turned out pretty well, but he couldn't Teleport so I didn't use him much, and I realized the max block route would have been a nice complement to the whole Cyclone Armor buffer.

EDIT: Just read your cross-post in the Druid Forum... for Pits and Baal you should definitely get max block. You probably know this already, but refresh your Cyclone Armor often. Gloams do a lot of damage.

 

[wangboBW]

Ok your post agrees with everything that I have known about hc. But what shield would you recommend me to use? The reason I even considered vita is because of the massive dex investment required to go max block on my stormshield (400 ish life normal extra, 1k+ extra after oak, +2 skills which increase damage a lot). Would whistan's be better? Would I miss the DR in Baal? (I know I will in pit, but it's not exactly too dangerous)

I refresh cyclone whenever I get hit with ANY elemental damage. It's part of the reaction, it's my first skill in the right click!

 

[PhatTrumpet]

I'd just stick with the SS. Any life lost due to lack of vit investment should be more than made up for with the 35%DR. If it's such a big deal and you're all set on resists, you could always throw an 'Eld' rune in the shield.